Everett, Wash., Feb. 22, 2013 –Yesterday morning started with a crash course on how to strap on snowshoes for about 60 boisterous children, while those who were first to get them on learned how to navigate by pushing each other into snow banks. The youth, along with some parents, were from Terrace Park Elementary in Mountlake Terrace, Wash., to take a guided snowshoe walk and see a demonstration by the Alpental Backcountry Avalanche Rescue K9s near Snoqualmie Pass on the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.They learned how to use the snowshoes quickly: before lunch kids were laughing and racing a 20-yard course through the snow, with the winner earning a Smokey Bear lapel pin. Forest Service Ranger Kim Larned captivated the children with stories about voles, eagles and snow bugs as they swished over the gentle slops and down valleys on the mile-long loop course. It was 11-year-old Charles Fritz’s first time snowshoeing. “I learned about lichen and how deer can digest it, but it is poisonous to humans, and how the Pileated Woodpecker creates an almost exactly rectangular hole to stick their six-inch barbed tongue in to reach the food,” he said. But the avalanche rescue dogs were the hit of the day.After their hike, children met Betty, Etta and Bazuka and their handlers Katherine Fitch, Ron Linde and Kevin Huggett from the Alpental Ski Patrol.The three dogs showcased their tracking skills by demonstrating how they could quickly find two sweaters that were buried in the snow earlier. Two students hid in an ice cave while Fitch and her dog Bette, a mixed breed, went to the rescue, as Bette dug and barked to signal where the children hid. Fitch rewarded Bette with her favorite toy, a stuffed duck. “Dogs have a 1,000 times better sense of smell then humans,” said Fitch.Fitch said it takes six months to a year to train the dogs. “It is quicker to train a dog for avalanche recue than a handler. We have years of classes to become certified,” she said.Guided snowshoe walks at Snoqualmie Pass are offered every weekend starting at 10 a.m. Call 425-434-6111 for reservations. Trips for special events and school groups can be scheduled. Information for all snowshoe walks on the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest is available online at http://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/mbs/home/?cid=stelprdb5403349&width=full.

Snoqualmie Pass- The Snoqualmie Pass Forest Service Visitor Information Center will open for the winter season on Thursday December 20th. Hours of operation will be Thursday through Sunday from 8:30 AM until 3:30 PM. The Visitor Center offers a wide variety of services including winter recreation information, current weather and avalanche forecasts, local knowledge of the Snoqualmie Pass area, and a wide array of interpretive materials including books, maps and Sno-Park Permits. Beginning on December 21, Forest Service Naturalists at the Snoqualmie Pass Visitor Information Center will offer a variety of guided outdoor winter walks and activities. These programs are supported almost entirely by public donations. Reservations are strongly suggested and can be made by calling Kim Larned at 509 852 1062 Monday through Friday until December 19th, after which, please call the Visitor Center at 425 434 6111 Thursday through Sunday to make your reservation. 90 Minute walk - Join this 1 mile loop that winds through opulent old-growth forest. Elevated up on the snow-pack, you’ll enjoy experiencing the middle-canopy of the trees. You’ll see normally hidden lichens, fungus, winter birds and mammals. Discover what critters made those mysterious tracks and what exactly are all those tiny of black insects flipping around on the snow! We’ll guide you through this winter hike at a moderate pace and with interesting winter ecology facts you can impress your friends and family with. Saturday and Sundays – 10:00 & 11:30 AM & 1:00 PMSuggested donation: Adults $15, youth 16 and under $10Extended walk- This winter trek will take you into the heart of Commonwealth Basin, a landscape that is rich with snowshoe routes and interesting winter life. Marten, ground squirrel, bobcat, wolverine all travel through this area, sometimes leaving evidence on the fresh snow. We’ll travel about 5 miles at a moderate pace climbing into the basin, including a lunch break boasting scenery you’ll be craving the rest of the winter. Bring a well-stocked backpack, lunch and dress for the ever-changing mountain weather for this one; we’ll be out for about 4-5 hours. Friday, Saturday and Sundays – 9:00 AMSuggested donation: $25 per personPhotography walk – Photography enthusiasts from expert to novice will enjoy the opportunities for winter inspired photos. Catch a radiating dendrite or possibly some magnificent hoar frost. Commonwealth Creek offers many unique photographic interests: ice falls, cool vapors and the swirling dark waters of mid-winter. Your guide will inspire discussions about light, composition and exposure. Participants are encouraged to bring their own film or digital cameras and extra batteries. In order to reduce your own exposure, please carry a well-stocked backpack with lunch. This trip usually lasts about 4 - 5 hours. Beginning January 19, 2013 every other Saturday at 9:30 AM Suggested donation: $25 per personKids in Snow! - Kids of all ages enjoy this 90 minute outing that jump starts participants on their way to earn a Jr. Snow Ranger badge. Identify tracks, learn about exploring nature in winter, and climb into our igloo (snowpack permitting). Discover which animals live nearby that turn white in winter, sleep the winter away, burrow and live entirely under the snow and those that can freeze themselves nearly solid right through until the spring melt. Kids control the speed of this walk, and we have a fleet of snowshoes, just for little feet. Adults can follow along with the kids; we have snowshoes for you too! Beginning January 12, 2013 Saturdays at 1:00 PMSuggested donation: Adults $15, youth 16 and under $10Nordic ski - This is our latest and greatest program; the Forest Service has teamed up with the Summit at Snoqualmie Ski Area to offer a guided winter ecology trip on Nordic skis! We begin this outing at Grand Junction on the ski areas’ popular Mt. Catherine Loop. You’ll need to purchase a ski area ticket, ride the ski lift or ski up and meet the group at the Grand Junction hut. We’ll start skiing from there, making stops to talk about the history of the area, forest succession, wildlife encounters and all things winter related. Please meet promptly at 10 AM and plan to be back at the hut by 11:30. January 12, 19, 26 & February 2, 9, 16 Donations are not suggested for this programPartnership Event - US Forest Service and Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust are teaming up to co-sponsor a day on the snow. Put on your snowshoes and get out in the Greenway on Saturday, January 19th, 2013 with the US Forest Service and Greenway staff for three different 1-mile loop snowshoe outings where they will share history and stories about this region and give you and your family ideas for your next Greenway adventure!Suggested donation: Adults $15, youth 16 and under $10 Get out in your own backyard…The Mountains to Sound Greenway! The Greenway is an incredible area featuring a unique mix of natural beauty and outdoor recreation that is close to your home. The Greenway extends from Seattle across the Cascade Mountains to Ellensburg surrounding I-90 and offers many opportunities to get out and explore the landscape that makes this region so special. Whether you enjoy hiking trails or learning about the rich history of the area- the Greenway has something for everyone.

Volunteers Plant Natives at Gold Creek PondWhat: Conservation Northwest along with Forest Service botany team from Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest will be at Gold Creek Pond on Snoqualmie Pass for a last public planting party before the weather gets too bad. A total of 6,000 native species will be planted in an effort to control the outbreak of invasive weeds. If anyone is interested in volunteering, contact Jen Watkins at jwatkins@conservationnw.org. When: Oct. 13, 9:30 a.m.-3 a.m.Who: 40 volunteers, Conservation Northwest, US Forest Service, Defenders of WildlifeWhere: Gold Creek Pond on Snoqualmie PassDirections: From I-90: Take I-90 East. Exit on Hyak (exit 54). Make a left at the stop sign. Go straight underneath pass towards FR 4832, make a right and travel parallel to highway. Make a left on Gold Creek Pond Road (142) and follow road right up to parking lot. From 405: Take 405 South and exit on Exit 11, merge onto I-90 East towards Spokane. Exit Hyak (Exit 54). Make a left at the stop sign. Go straight underneath pass towards FR 4832, make a right and travel parallel to highway. Make a left on Gold Creek Pond Road (142) and follow road right up to parking lot. Contact: Coordinate with Jen Watkins, 206.940.7914, jwatkins@conservationnw.org

Volunteers Needed: Restore Native Plants at Gold Creek PondWhat: Volunteers will spend the day restoring habitat adjacent to Gold Creek near Snoqualmie Pass in the Interstate 90 corridor. Because it is important for recreation with picnic areas, an ADA accessible trail and a trailhead into the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Gold Creek Pond sees a lot of human traffic. It's in need of restoration. Help us plant natives and collect native plant seed for dispersal. Beverages and snacks will be provided, but dress warmly and bring a lunch. Sign-up to volunteer with Jen Watkins, 206-940-7914. RSVP required.When: Two events: Sept. 29 and Oct. 13, 9:30-3 p.m. Who: U.S. Forest Service, Conservation Northwest, Volunteers. Where:Gold Creek Pond on the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Directions: Meet at the Gold Creek pond parking lot. Drive Interstate 90 east to Exit 54, two miles east of the Snoqualmie Pass summit. Take the exit to turn north, crossing under the freeway. A few hundred feet north of the highway interchange, turn right onto a narrow paved road (Forest Service road 4832) and drive east parallel to the freeway for one mile. Turn left on Gold Creek Road (142) and then left again in 0.3 mile into the lot. You are there.Contact:Jen Watkins, 206-940-7914.

Travel through spectacular scenery on easy weekend hikes at Snoqualmie Pass on the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Look for wildflowers, learn about wildlife and hear about unique local history. Make a reservation 8:30 a.m. –3:30 p.m. Thursday through Sunday at 425-434-6111. Wear sturdy shoes and bring a day pack with water, snacks, sunscreen, mosquito repellant, a camera and binoculars. A $10 donation per person is suggested. Programs for groups can be scheduled during the week.Gold Creek Pond, Saturdays, July 2-Sept. 3, 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Walk along a one-mile asphalt and boardwalk trail to view stunning peaks, a pristine blue pond and wildflowers. Learn about a beaver den, ant hills, rare fish and other wildlife on this 90-minute hike.Twin Lakes, Sundays, July 2-Sept. 3 Sundays, 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Hike two miles along Cold Creek to view wildflowers, an old growth forest and Twin Lakes nestled against dramatic peaks. Learn more about the forest, wildlife and the history of the pioneers.

About the Salmon River Mountain Press

The Salmon River Mountain Press shares news from federal and state natural resource agencies, environmental, conservation and recreation groups in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. The blog delivers the content one news story at a time.